Flexible stair tread gauge



Sept. 23, 1958 R. w. DANEN FLEXIBLE STAIR TREAD GAUGE Filed Jan. 25, 1956 4 INVENTOR.

@oms-R7 w MN5/v BY FLEXIBLE STAIR TREAD GAUGE Robert W. Danen, De Pere, Wis. Application January 23,-1956, Serial No. 560,747

s Claims. (ci. en -176) This invention relates generally to a stair tread gauge, and more particularly to a stair tread gauge having flexible blade means. v .i

In the actual practise of stair building, especially where the steps are located and built between enclosing walls, the usual procedure of the stair builder is to fit the treads after the rough carpentry work and plastering are completed. In most instances, it is found that each tread requires individual measuring, cutting and tting. As this class of work calls for exact measurements in o-rder to insure a neat and workmanlike finish to the stairway, it is essential that each tread be precisely measured and cut for subsequent embodiment into the stairway structure.

In many instances, the side stringers, between which a tread is to be fitted, are warped or cupped. To properly lit a tread in these instances requires cutting along a curved line to meet the warped or cupped irregularities.

Obviously, abutting a straight cut tread edge against a curved or cupped Stringer surface is unacceptable; and the time consumed in hand form fitting a tread edge against a cupped Stringer is almost prohibitive.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a gauge for ascertaining the precise conformation of the space to be occupied by the individual stair tread, and using the gauge as a templet or guide, to lay off or mark a conforming tread on the material to be worked, With the result that precise cutting and fitting are obtainable in the completed stairway. i

An object of this invention is the provision of a stair tread gauge conformable to a cupped, warped or curved surface. i

Another-object is to provide a stair tread gauge having flexible characteristics.

till another object of this invention is the provision of a stair tread gauge having yieldable mountings whereby the gauge can be snugly fitted between stairway stringers and` then yieldably withdrawn, and when released will immediately assume the fixed form it held when in gauging disposition between said stringers.

Other specific objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the tigures thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing the flexible characteristic ofthe blade means; and

Fig. 3 is a section view of the apparatus taken-on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing the yieldable mounting means between the blades and the tubular elements.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 a parallel Patented Sept. `23, 1958 ICC arrangement of three equally spaced telescopic beams indicated generally at 10, 11 and 12 consisting of associated tubes 13 and 14, 15 and 16, and 17 and 18, respectively, parallelly related in the same plane.

A supporting base plate 19 is disposed under the inner end portions of the primary tube members 13, 15 and 17, and the centrally disposed tube 15 is rigidly fixed thereon by means of tube clamp 21 secured to the base plate by means of rivets 22 and 23.

A yoke bar, generally indicated at 24, having three tube receiving yoke sections Z5, 26 and 27, is disposed over the primary tubes 13, 15 and 17 at the inner ends thereof, and is rigidly xed to the base plate 19 by means of rivets 28 and 2,9. The yoke sections 25 and 27 slidably engage the tube members 13 and 17 and function as guides during movement of said tubes 13 and 17. The central yoke section 26 bears tightly against its associated tubular member 15 and aids in more rigidly securing said tube member 15 to the base plate 19.

The inner end portions of tubes 13, 1S and 17 are provided with longitudinal slots 31, 32 and 33 to receive thumb screws 34, 35 and 36 therein, respectively. Said thumb screws are threadedly engaged through the yoke sections 25, 26 and 27, are directable through their asso* ciated slots, and are bearable on the secondary tube members 14, 16 and 1S, respectively. The function of the thumb screws is to releasably x and retain the associated telescopic tubes in any extended or retracted relation desired.

While the associated telescopic tubes may be snugly slidably engaged, it is preferred that they be loosely tted so that small dentations, resulting from accidental blows during usage, will not cause the telescopic sections to bind or seize and become slidably inoperative.

The outer open `end portions of all the tubes are provided with wood plugs such as indicated at 37 and 38. These snugly fitting plugs may be fixed therein by any means, such as cementing, pressi-itung, denting the tube wall into the plug, pinning, or the like.

A practical method of securing a plug in the ends of the tubes is to sharpen the peripheral edge of the Atube ends as indicated at 39, and driving a somewhat larger piece of soft wood therein. The sharp edge cuts a slightly oversize dowel plug therefrom, as it is being driven into the tube, resulting ina plug being securely press-tit into the tube.

Across the ends of the primary tubes 13, 15 and 17 is` mounted a exible blade 41, made of a tough flexible material such as phenolic laminate (Bakelite), spring steel, or the like. t

A companion flexible blade 42 is mounted across the secondarytubes 14, 16 and 13.

Annular resilient mounting blocks 4-3 and d4, such rubber, compression springs, or the like, are interposed axially of the tubes, between the end of each tube and the associated blade, to provide a yieldable mounting therefor.

The blades and annular yieldable elements are secured to the plugged ends of the tubesby means of screws Ll5 and 46. The blades are bored, and counterbored to receive the heads of the screws therein, thereby providing a plane external surface, convenient for gauging. The screw heads are provided with iat undersitles to bear against the flat bottoms of the counterbored recesses, whereby to aid in maintaining and restoring the normal disposition ofthe blades relative to the tubes when the tool is inoperatively relaxed. 1

0peraton-1n practise, when it is desired to ascertain the precise conformation of the space to be occupied by a stair tread, between one or more cuppedlor warped stairwaystringers, the thumb screws 34, 35 and 36 are loosened, and the gauge loosely disposed in the space to lbe occupied by the tread. The central telescopic beam 11 is first adjusted, and then the remaining telescopic beams and 12 are individually telescopically adjusted so that 'the respective blade portions lie snugly against the `adjacent cupped Stringer portions, and the respective thumb screws then tightened to securely hold the gauge members in that fitted relationship. The tool can then be withdrawn without alteration or change in the adjusted conformationof the tool.

Since primary tube 15 is rigidly fixed to base plate 19, the associated telescopic tube 16 is firstly adjusted between the stairway stringers. This is accomplished by extending secondary tube 16 and -thereby disposing the central portion of the blade -42 against the adjacent cupped Stringer portion and held there. The opposite end .of said central telescopic beam 11 is then extended by bodily moving the tube 15 and base-19 assembly until the central portion of blade 41 is disposed against the opposite cupped Stringer, and thumb screw 35 tightened. It will be noted that during this operation, tube 15, base plate 19 and yoke bar 24 assembly will move as a unit relative to secondary tubes 13 and 17, with the yoke guides 25 and 27 sliding over said tubes i3 and 17, and blade 41 iiexibly bowing if necessary.

Thumb screw 35 operates to hold telescopic beam 11 in adjusted relation by directly and forcibly bearing against the secondary tube 16, which in turn is pressed down against fixed primary tube 15.

The thumb screws 34 and 36 operate to sec'ure any desired telescopic relationship of the tubes embodied in beams 10 and 12 by directly and forcibly bearing against the smaller secondary tubes, which in turn bear against the larger primary tubes, which in turn are forcibly pressed against the base plate. It is to be noted that not only do telescopic beams 10 and 12 telescope normally, but outer tubes 13 and 17 thereof are also slidable in yoke guides 25 and 27, respectively. This construction provides facile means whereby the blade 41 portions adjacent each end of said telescopic beams can be snugly forced against the adjacent warped surface of a Stringer.

After each telescopic beam is fitted and held in adjusted relation through means of thumb screws 34, 35 and 36, the gauge is withdrawn and transfered to a board and lines drawn along the edges of the blades 41 and 42, thus outlining precisely the tread to fit the space to be occupied thereby.

Mounting rubbers 43 and 44 yield when the gauge is being withdrawn from between cupped stringers, thereby preventing binding or seizing therebetween. Also, while the rubber mounting elements will compress when withdrawn from a binding situation, yet when the gauge is released it will immediately assume the adjusted form held when in gauging disposition between the warped stringers.

The dotted lines in Fig. 2 illustrates a flexured disposition of the gauge blades, conforming to a hypothetical cupped or warped Stringer situation.

The characteristic features of this stair tread gauge are the flexible blades 41 and 42 for conformance with curved surfaces; and the rubber mounting blocks 43 and 44 providing for the prevention of binding or seizing of the tool between the stairway stringers and the easy withdrawal therefrom, for providing a yieldable blade mounting means allowing for a smooth curvature disposition of the blades, and for providing the necessary resiliency to maintain and restore the normal relation of the blades and tubes when the tool is inoperatively relaxed.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practised otherwise than as specifically described.

Cit

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters -Patentofthe United States is:

l. A gauge, comprising: a plurality of similarly oriented spaced telescopic beams; a support for said telescopic beams, disposed intermediate the ends thereof; single means for fixing each telescopic beam in longitudinally adjusted relation and securing each said adjusted beam to said support; and a blade mounted on the adjacent end portions of said beams, at each end of said beams, one lof said blades being yieldable.

2. A gauge, comprising: a plurality of spaced telescopic beams parallelly related to the same plane, each beam comprising va lprimary member and ya secondary member movable relative thereto; a `base plate supporting said telescopic beams, disposed under said primary members, said beams extending beyond said base plate at both ends; single clamping means for fixing each telescopic beam in longitudinally adjusted relation and securing each said adjusted beam to said base plate; and a blade mounted transversely on the adjacent outer end portions of said beams, at each end of said beams, one of said .blades being fiexible.

3. A gauge, comprising: a plurality of spaced telescopic beams parallelly related in the same plane, each beam comprising a primary member and a secondary member slidable longitudinally thereon; a base plate supporting said telescopic beams, said beams extending beyond said base plate at both ends; means on said base plate for fixing said telescopic beams in longitudinally adjusted relation and for securing said adjusted beams to said base plate; a blade mounted transversely on the adjacent outer end por-tions of said beams, at each end of said beams one of said blades being fiexible; and resilient means interposed between one of said blades and its associated beams.

4. A gauge, comprising: a plurality -of spaced telescopic beams parallelly related in the same plane, each beam comprising a primary tube and a secondary tube slidable therein; a base plate supporting said telescopic beams, disposed under said primary tube, said beams extending beyond said base plate at both ends; releasable means on said base plate for fixing said telescopic beams in longitudinally adjusted relation and for frictionally securing said primary tube to said base plate; a flexible blade mounted transversely on the adjacent outer extremity portions of said beams, at each end of said beams; and resilient means interposed between said blades and their associated beam extremities.

5. A gauge, comprising: a plurality of spaced telescopic beams parallelly related in the same plane, each beam comprising a primary tube and a secondary tube loosely fitted and slidable therein; a base plate for supporting said ltelescopic beams, said primary tubes resting on said base plate, said beams -extending beyond said base plate at both ends; means for fixing a first primary tube to said base plate; releasable means on said base plate for fixing said telescopic beams in longitudinal adjusted relation and for frictionally securing the other primary tubes to said base plate; a flexible blade mounted transversely across the adjacent outer extremity portions of said beams, at each end of said beams; and resilient means interposed between said blades and their associated beam extremities.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 441,522 Watson Nov. 25, 1890 1,328,538 Newberg Jan. 20, 1920 2,212,739 Human Aug. 27, 1940 2,356,923 Firestone Aug. 29, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 163,040 Switzerland Oct. 2, 1933 

